Driver in hit and run surrenders

Denis J. O'Malleyand Frank Juliano

Updated 2:18 pm, Friday, May 10, 2013

Paul Whitehurst, 23, turned himself in to police on Thursday, May 9, 2013 on charges of evading responsibility, driving without a license, failure to yield to a pedestrian and driving the wrong way on a one-way street, the last count arising when he fled the scene. Whitehurst is charged with hitting a 10-year-old boy with a vehicle and then fleeing the scene.
Photo: Bridgeport Police Department

BRIDGEPORT -- A 23-year-old man driving a rental car hit a 10-year-old boy Thursday morning, then fled the scene before turning himself in to city police hours later.

The hit-and-run was the second such incident in nine days, though this one resulted in injuries far less serious than the previous. The 10-year-old, who was crossing the street at Howard and Maplewood avenues on his way to Bryant School, suffered a laceration to the ear and abrasions, said police spokesman William Kaempffer.

The driver involved, Paul Whitehurst, turned himself in to police Thursday evening on charges of evading responsibility, driving without a license, failure to yield to a pedestrian and driving the wrong way on a one-way street, the last count arising when he fled the scene.

Thursday morning's incident also differed from the April hit-and-run on Capitol Avenue in that city police were able to easily identify the car involved, as the driver abandoned it a short distance from the scene of the crash and fled on foot. The vehicle -- a white Toyota Corolla -- had been rented from a Danbury business, Kaempffer said.

City police have yet to release a description of the vehicle that hit 2-year-old Corey Gordon shortly after 9 p.m. on April 30 as he, his mother and his 10-month-old sister returned to their Capitol Avenue home. That incident left the toddler with severe head trauma and he remained in stable but serious condition at Yale-New Haven Hospital this week.

The unidentified vehicle continued east on Capitol Avenue after the crash. Police ask that anyone with information on the car or driver involved call 203-576-8126 or send a text message to 274637 with the code TIP717 and a message.

The 8 a.m. incident on Thursday occurred when the white Toyota Corolla failed to stop at the crosswalk where the 10-year-old was crossing the street, Kaempffer said.

After finding the person who rented the Corolla, Officers Pete Garcia and John Perry, of the department's traffic unit, were able to identify Whitehurst as the driver and contact him, prompting his surrender, Kaempffer said.

Sharice Wilson, a witness, said she saw the child being put into the ambulance.

"I walk my kids by here every day, hundreds of kids pass by here on the way to Bryant School, and it's dangerous," Wilson said, standing at the intersection. "There is a crossing guard, but sometimes she doesn't get here until after 8 a.m."